Course Name: Rwanda: Genocide and Aftermath

Course Name: Rwanda: Genocide and Aftermath

Course Prefix: POLS

Course Number: 4760

Submitted by (Name & E-Mail):Stephanie Wolfe,

Submission Date:(mm/dd/yyyy)

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If this is a change to an existing course or a course deletion, please copy and paste the current course information from the on-line catalog (include subject, gen ed designation, number, title, credit hours, description and prerequisites).

New/Revised Course Information:

Subject: POLS

Course Number: 4760

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Course Title:

Abbreviated Course Title (Limited to 30 characters):

Course Type:

LEC - Regular class without lab
LEL - Regular class with incorporated lab
LAB - Separate section in a laboratory setting
SUP - Supervision at Remote Site (e.g., clinical, internships, practica, etc.)
INV - Individualized Instruction (e.g., directed readings, etc.)
THE - Thesis Credit

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Repeat Information:Limit 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Max Hrs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Limit=number of times course can be repeated for credit. Leave at 0 if course cannot be repeated for additional credit).

Grading Mode:Standard LetterCredit/No Credit

This course is/will be:

a required course in a major program
a required course in a minor program
a required course in a 1- or 2- year program
elective

Prerequisites/Co-requisites (also list these at the end of the course description):

Course description (exactly as it will appear in the catalog, including prerequisites):

This course will examine the 1994 Rwandan genocide and its aftermath. The class will discuss the historical legacy of colonialism and the impact that post-colonial policies had in pre-genocide Rwanda. Next, the events surrounding the genocide within Rwanda will be discussed in addition to its immediate impact on the surrounding Great Lakes countries of Africa. Finally, the legacy of the Rwandan genocide will be examined, especially in regards to politics and international law. Specific issues to be addressed include the complex relationship between political and legislated memories, ethnic identities before and after the genocide, the creation and implementation of transitional justice measures including the national courts, gacaca courts, and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Justification for the new course or for changes to an existing course. (Note: Justification should emphasizeacademic rationalefor the change or new course. This is particularly important for courses requesting upper-division status.)

POLS 4760: Rwanda: Genocide and Aftermath needs be added as a new course in order to strengthen the international and comparative offerings in the political science department, to support our study abroad / semester abroad program in Rwanda, and to increase our online offerings of upper-division classes.

This class has been taught as an upper-division experimental course multiple times. I taught this coursetwice at Keene State College in New Hampshire (once in person and once as a hybrid course). The class was received very well and thus I decided to revise it and offer it at Weber State. I applied for, and received, an innovative teaching grant to update this course and offered the new version in Spring of 2014 as POLS 4160: Special Topics in World Politics. This course was very well received by the students and received good evaluations. Students have indicated a strong interest in the topic, and a desire to see the class offered on a more permanent basis. Two Lifetime Learners decided to audit the class, in addition, of the 15 students who took the class, one decided to sign up for the study abroad to Rwanda in the summer of 2014, and one student will be traveling to Rwanda in the summer of 2015. One student also applied, and received, an Undergraduate Research Grant in order to conduct more research on the topic. Thus, based on the enrollments, evaluations, and continued research on the topic, I have concluded that it needs to be transitioned to a permanent course.

After evaluating the role of this course within the department, I have decided to offer this as an online course for the summer semester. This will serve multiple functions. One, it will grant students in the political science department to take an online upper division course. Thus increasing our upper division online offerings of which there are few. Second it will support our study abroad program. Political Science now offers a study abroad program to Rwanda in the summers. Students taking this course have the option of enrolling in either three credits or six credits. Three of those credits are from attending a Peacebuilding Institute in Rwanda and three of those credits are from enrolling in POLS 4760: Rwanda: Genocide and Aftermath. It is important to note that this course is not restricted to students travelling to Rwanda. As mentioned before, the majority of students who take this course, do not travel to Rwanda. It does however, enrich the experience of those who do take the study abroad, and encourages them to consider the trip.

Nonsubstantive proposals stop here and go to the bottom of the form to submit the proposal

INFORMATION PAGE
for substantive proposals only

1. Did this course receive unanimous approval within the Department?

YesNo

If not, what are the major concerns raised by the opponents?

2. If this is anew course proposal, could you achieve the desired results by revising an existing course within your department or by requiring an existing course in another department? Explain.

3. If this is anew course proposal, how will the proposed course differ from similar offerings by other departments? Comment on any subject overlap between this course and topics generally taught by other departments, even if no similar courses are currently offered by the other departments. Explain any effects that this proposal will have on program requirements or enrollments in other department. Please forward letters (email communication is sufficient) from all departments that you have identified above stating their support or opposition to the proposed course.

4. Is this course required for certification/accreditation of a program?YesNo

If so, a statement to that effect should appear in the justification and supporting documents should accompany this form.

5. For course proposals, attach a copy of the course syllabus to the form your are submitting to the Faculty Senate office. The syllabus should be sufficiently detailed so that committees can determine that the course is at the appropriate level and matches the description. There should be an indication of the amount and type of outside activity required in the course (projects, research papers, homework, etc.).Please mail a signedapproval pageto the Faculty Senate Office, MA 210J, MC 1033.